Posts By: Sondra Lehmann

TNOYS’ Annual Conference is right around the corner, and our team is looking forward to all the fun and learning that’s in store! The focus of the conference aligns with TNOYS’ strategic plan, and two important topics— equity and youth voice— are central to this year’s agenda. We’re looking forward to sessions such as Mia… Read more »

For 30 years, TNOYS member Pegasus Schools has been working to heal and support abused, neglected, and adjudicated boys. Pegasus plays a unique if sometimes misunderstood role in youth services. The Residential Treatment Center exclusively works with youth ages 10-17 who have committed sex offenses, many of whom have suffered abuse and trauma themselves.  CEO… Read more »

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed how organizations across Texas serve youth and families. Fortunately, there are so many great resource centers out there to support organizations that serve youth and families in responding to COVID-19. For your convenience, TNOYS has compiled a list of some of the best COVID-19 response resource centers relevant to… Read more »

  To our Texas youth services community: It would be easy and, quite frankly, expected for us to acknowledge the grief which weighs heavily on us and on all of you right now. However, as an organization with a mostly White staff, that would make this conversation about us and our emotions rather than about… Read more »

At TNOYS, we believe that effective youth-adult partnerships are key to helping Texas’ youth achieve healthy development. This ethos is also at the heart of TNOYS member Houston: reVision, an organization that connects kids on the edge with mentors, positive peers, and life-changing resources.  reVision builds “communities of kinship” for youth who fall anywhere along… Read more »

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted existing gaps in support for Texas’ most vulnerable populations, including former foster youth and those who have experienced homelessness. It has also created new gaps in support, as youth who were already working to overcome difficult obstacles have been saddled with additional challenges — including job loss, school closures, isolation,… Read more »

Across Texas, youth and family service providers are working on new strategies to keep youth safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. STARRY, headquartered in Round Rock, is one such organization: STARRY serves as the Family and Youth Success (formerly known as “Services to At Risk Youth”) Program for 31 counties in Central, North, Northeast, and Northwest Texas,… Read more »

Census 2020 is well underway, but the COVID-19 pandemic is causing the U.S. Census Bureau to change or delay many of their efforts to get-out-the-count.  On the ground census operations, including the counting of people in group quarters, were planned to start at the beginning of April. However, state and local governments have delayed operations… Read more »

This blog post is part of an ongoing series that aim to assist youth service providers in their COVID-19 response efforts. For more information and resources, please visit TNOYS’ blog, or visit the COVID-19 resource page. The COVID-19 pandemic means that many workers on the front lines have been left scrambling to find child care… Read more »

Last week, TNOYS brought together youth-service providers for peer-to-peer learning, information sharing, troubleshooting, and peer support through a series of virtual meetings. TNOYS has been coordinating some of its efforts with National Network for Youth, Texas Homeless Network, Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, and Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services. Each call included opportunities… Read more »